Healing Over Time

Chapter Twenty-Six

Alex pressed her nails into the palms of her hands.

"I'll tell Gator we'll have an extra seat," John said to Monica.

"I appreciate it," Monica smiled at Kayce. "Thank you...I do have a change of clothes, just in case."

"Tate," John said. "Help your mother bring her stuff in."

"Yes sir," Tate followed Monica out.

John glanced at Kayce before leaving the room himself. It was as if the air in the room had been sucked out. Alex kept her focus on the edge of the kitchen island. It was sharp, and she figured if he pushed hard enough, she could crack Kayce's head on it.

"It's just a night," Kayce's voice was rough.

Alex looked at him with a deep frown.

"You know it ain't that simple," Alex said.

"It could be?" Kayce tried.

"This is not all on me," Alex bit back.

"No one's saying it is," Kayce shook his head. "It's one night...and the weather is shit. I don't want Tate out in that."

Oakley looked out the window at the snow piling up. Kayce may be right about that one point, but the smiling, the offering, the simple being was doing things to Alex's mind. She could feel a spiral right at the edge of her thoughts.

Alex looked back at Kayce. He was watching her closely. She sighed and moved to walk out of the room, passing by close to Kayce and whispering harshly.

"You didn't have to cave so quickly."

**

When Alex got downstairs, she saw she was the last one there. After leaving Kayce in the kitchen, Alex retired to lie down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. She counted her breaths and prayed her heart stay calm. But seeing Monica sitting next to Tate, who was next to Kayce, was like a knife slicing through her chest.

Beth and Rip were across from them, so Alex took the seat next to Rip, across from Monica, and stayed silent. She didn't say one word during the meal. Not that conversation was plentiful, but Alex barely touched her plate even though she didn't say anything. She received a few nudges from Rip, but after the third time when Alex kicked him under the table, he stopped.

"Mom, you have to see the Lego kit Alex and I are working on," Tate brought Alex back to attention. "It's so cool."

"What's it of?" Monica asked.

"A safari?" Tate smiled.

"How cool," Monica smiled back and then looked at Alex. "Thank you for watching him with that."

Alex raised her eyebrow. Monica wasn't sincere in her thanks, that much Alex could pick up. When she saw Beth also give Monica a strange look, Alex knew she wasn't reading into things wrong. A tense silence fell over the table. Monica was still looking at Alex and her smile was just a little too smug for Alex.

"Not the first time," Alex said, her voice sounding funny. "Tate and I do a lot of projects."

"That's kind of you," Monica nodded her head.

Alex took a deep breath. She didn't like how Monica was treating her as if she were a babysitter, or as if Tate was a chore for Alex.

"Said we're supposed to get another nine inches tonight," John spoke up.

Everyone looked at him except Alex. Her eyes were still on Monica.

"That's gonna be trouble on the roads tomorrow," Rip said.